Any (Must have 2 substantial handles) Bin (Trash)
Containers must not exceed 45 gallons or a total weight of 70 pounds. Garbage must be curbside before 7:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. during summer months). Bungee cords on lids are strictly prohibited.
Accepted Items
- ✓Household garbage
- ✓Food waste
- ✓Non-recyclable materials
- ✓Pizza boxes (food-stained paper)
Any (Clearly marked for recycling) Bin (Recycling)
Paper is collected town-wide on Wednesday. Commingled glass, metal, and plastic are collected town-wide on Thursday. All containers must be rinsed out, and caps should be discarded in the trash.
Accepted Items
- ✓Office paper, mail, and flattened cardboard (Wednesdays)
- ✓Metal food and beverage cans (Thursdays)
- ✓Plastic containers marked 1-7 (Thursdays)
- ✓Clear, green, or brown glass jars (Thursdays)
Do NOT Include
- ✕Plastic shopping bags
- ✕Styrofoam packing material
- ✕Waxed paper
- ✕Food-stained paper
- ✕Hard-cover books
- ✕Hangers and scrap metal
Yard Waste Bin
Yard waste must be placed in brown biodegradable paper bags or loose in a garbage can. Plastic bags are completely banned. Branches up to 10 feet require a scheduled chipper appointment.
Accepted Items
- ✓Grass clippings
- ✓Leaves
- ✓Tied and bundled brush (under 4 feet)
- ✓Large branches (by appointment)
Bulky Item Pickup
Frequency
Scheduled Fridays based on your Route
Placement
Place items curbside no later than 7:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. in summer). For pull-out couches, the metal frame must be removed first. All metal products must be piled separately.
Accepted
- ✓ Furniture and desks
- ✓ Carpeting and padding (cut in 3x9 strips and taped)
- ✓ Washing machines and dryers
- ✓ Bagged mattresses
- ✓ Metal fencing (no cement bottoms)
Not Accepted
- ✕ Railroad ties
- ✕ Logs and concrete
- ✕ Hazardous materials
- ✕ Construction and demolition debris (C&D)
- ✕ Pianos
Standard bulk is free. Special items (Freon appliances, electronics, and tires) require an upfront fee ($10 for TVs/Freon, $5 for small electronics) paid to the Sanitation Division to receive a special disposal sticker.
Holiday Schedule
General Rule
When a holiday falls during the week, all standard collection services are moved forward by one day. For example, a Monday holiday pushes Monday's pickup to Tuesday, Tuesday's to Wednesday, paper to Thursday, and commingle to Friday.
Yard Waste Exception
Scheduled Friday bulk trash pickups and courtesy brush chipping services are typically canceled entirely on weeks containing a major holiday.
Residents are encouraged to use the free Recycle Coach app to receive direct notifications regarding specific holiday route adjustments in the Town of Cortlandt.
Observed Holidays
!Contamination Tips
Leave Out the Bungee Cords
Do not use bungee cords to secure the lids of your trash or recycling containers. The Town of Cortlandt explicitly prohibits them because they pose a severe snap-back safety hazard to sanitation workers during the lifting process.
Pizza Boxes Belong in the Garbage
While clean corrugated cardboard is highly recyclable, paper stained by food or grease cannot be processed. Always throw greasy pizza boxes directly into your household trash rather than setting them out for Wednesday's paper recycling.
Seal Your Mattresses
A strict local regulation requires all mattresses and box springs to be completely enclosed in sealed plastic bags prior to bulk disposal. If a mattress is left unbagged at the curb, it will be left behind by the Friday bulk collection crews.
Seasonal Information
Summer
Late May - AugustSanitation summer hours typically begin immediately after Memorial Day. All trash, recycling, and bulk items must be placed curbside by 6:00 a.m. instead of the usual 7:00 a.m. to accommodate the earlier collection routes during hot weather.
Fall
October - NovemberWhen bagging leaves and yard debris for fall cleanup, ensure you only use brown biodegradable paper bags or leave the waste loose in an open garbage can. Using any type of plastic bag will result in a missed pickup.
Winter
December - FebruaryDuring heavy snowstorms, garbage and recycling services may be canceled or delayed. Make sure your bins are clearly visible and not buried in snowbanks. Check the Recycle Coach app for real-time weather-related schedule shifts.
About Cortlandt Waste Management
Cortlandt's Sectional Waste Collection System
The Town of Cortlandt divides its household garbage collection into two main geographic routes to streamline operations. Residents in the northern end of town, including Verplanck, receive service on Mondays, while the southern end is serviced on Tuesdays. The town emphasizes safety for its sanitation workers by strictly enforcing a 45-gallon or 70-pound limit on all trash and recycling containers. To ensure safe and efficient manual lifting, bungee cords are explicitly prohibited from being used to secure bin lids.
Town-Wide Recycling on Wednesdays and Thursdays
Cortlandt simplifies its recycling process by assigning specific days for different materials across the entire municipality. Every Wednesday is dedicated solely to paper and cardboard collection, requiring residents to properly bundle their junk mail, shredded paper, and flattened boxes. On Thursdays, the Department of Environmental Services focuses entirely on commingled recycling, which includes glass jars, metal food cans, and plastic containers labeled 1 through 7.
Comprehensive Organic Yard Waste Management
Because local incinerators cannot process organic material, the town strongly discourages sending yard waste to the Peekskill incineration plant, instead promoting backyard composting or the 'leave it on the lawn' approach for grass clippings. When curbside collection is necessary, yard waste must be placed in biodegradable brown paper bags or left loose in a designated garbage can—plastic bags are strictly prohibited. For larger debris, Cortlandt offers a courtesy brush chipping service, where branches up to 10 feet long can be stacked neatly by the roadside once an appointment is scheduled.
Scheduled Friday Bulk Trash and E-Waste Services
Bulk trash collection in Cortlandt is organized into three distinct routes, with pickups occurring exclusively on designated Fridays throughout the year. For items like mattresses or box springs, the town mandates that they be fully enclosed in sealed plastic mattress bags before being placed at the curb. Special items—such as appliances containing Freon, electronics, and tires—require residents to arrange a specialized pickup and pay an upfront fee to the Sanitation Division to receive an official disposal sticker.
Drop-off Facilities
Village of Buchanan E-Waste Drop Off
218 Westchester Avenue, Buchanan, NY 10511
Materials Accepted
Westchester County Household Material Recovery Facility (H-MRF)
15 Woods Road, Valhalla, NY 10595
Materials Accepted
Frequently Asked Questions
Why wasn't my large garbage can picked up by the town?
Town of Cortlandt Code requires that garbage and recycling containers not exceed 45 gallons in volume or 70 pounds in weight. Oversized cans pose a significant injury hazard to sanitation workers lifting them manually, as the town does not use automated mechanical trucks.
How do I dispose of tree branches and large brush?
You must call the Sanitation Division at (914) 737-0100 to schedule a courtesy chipper truck service. Branches must be 6 inches or less in diameter and no longer than 10 feet. Stack them neatly on the roadside with the butt ends facing the roadway, and do not tie or bundle them.
Can I put my grass clippings out with the regular trash?
No. Grass and organic yard wastes cannot be processed at the incineration plant. The town recommends backyard composting or leaving clippings on your lawn. If you must bag yard waste, use brown biodegradable paper bags or a loose garbage can. Plastic bags are strictly prohibited.
How do I throw away an old refrigerator or air conditioner?
Any appliance containing Freon requires a special bulk pick-up. You must pay a $10.00 fee via mail or in person at the Sanitation Division office (167 Roa Hook Rd) to receive a special sticker and a designated pick-up date. Remember to safely remove refrigerator doors before placing the unit curbside.